Senators: Defense Memo Appears to Protect Portsmouth Shipyard

U.S. Senators from Maine and New Hampshire say they are encouraged by a new Defense Department memo that appears to maintain funding for projects at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

Members of the congressional delegation have been working to prevent the construction projects from being cut to fund President Donald Trump's wall at the southern border.

New Hampshire Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan and Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King issued a statement Friday responding to a memo from Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan that directs military construction projects with fiscal year 2019 award dates be exempt from having their funding diverted to pay for the wall.

They say Shanahan's criteria appears to maintain funding for the shipyard projects.